“Among the people of the Book there are some who have belief in Allah and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before Allah. They do not sell Allah’s Signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And Allah is swift at reckoning.”

Some people say, ”No, the (Christians and Jews) won’t believe in Allah.” They say it can’t be. They are obsessed with that idea. According to them, if a person is a Mason, he can no longer be a Muslim. Or if he is a Jew, he cannot be a Muslim. What are (these radicals) they trying to achieve? Wiping Islam off the earth? Instead of trying to ensure that Islam reigns in the world, they are trying to eradicate it with such ideas.

Surat Al-Anfal, 39

“Fight them until there is no more discord and the religion is Allah’s alone. If they stop, Allah sees what they do.”

Allah says 'jihad', which means making an effort. It doesn’t mean actual war or fighting. Actual war means ‘qital’. But here, it is not qital that Muslims should be doing. Hear what our Almighty Lord says. I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan: “Fight them until there is no more discord and the religion is Allah’s alone. If they stop, Allah sees what they do.” Does the religion belong to Allah alone now? Is there no more discord around? Obviously it’s not the case. So Allah tells us to ‘make an effort to ensure that’, until “the religion is Allah’s alone”. Our Almighty Lord says this for the whole world. What does it mean that there is no more discord? There is discord if the Qur'an is not practiced. Allah says you should communicate the message of Islam, and if you don’t do that, you will be committing a sin. But these people claim that it is not necessary.

Surah Al ‘Imran, 104

“Let there be a community among you who call to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong. They are the ones who have success.”

“Forbid the wrong” In other words 'amr-bil-maroof-wa-nahi-anil-munkar'. Allah says there should be Muslims doing that, while the others are preparing the stage, in the background, dealing with the needs. It is an obligation on all Muslims, but since all of them cannot be doing that, there have to be some people taking care of the logistics, so Allah has ordered this division of tasks. Communicating the message of Islam is an obligation on all Muslims. Everyone should be doing that.

Surat An-Nahl, 125

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition, and argue with them in the kindest way. Your Lord knows best who is misguided from His way. And He knows best who are guided.”

This verse clearly explains the obligation on Muslims to invite to the way of Allah. It is obvious in all the verses that it is an obligation on Muslims. “Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition”. Call who? All Muslims? What is the way of your Lord? The Qur'an.

Surah Al ‘Imran, 142

“Or did you imagine that you were going to enter the Garden without Allah knowing those among you who had struggled and knowing the steadfast?”

So we understand that struggling (jihad, making an effort) is an obligation. Where do the ones that don’t do this go? To hell. In order to be able to go to Heaven, jihad- in other words, communicating the message of Allah- is an obligation. Since there is no third place to go, they are bound for hell.

Surat Al-Hujurat, 15

“The faithful are only those who have had belief in Allah and His Messenger and then have had no doubt and have done jihad with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They are the ones who are true to their word.”

They are making an effort with their wealth and themselves and spread the religion. “They are the ones who are true to their word”. So it means that the others were not true to their words, they weren’t loyal, they were liars. And the loyal ones are the ones fulfilling this beautiful duty.

Surat At-Tawba, 19

“Do you make the giving of water to the pilgrims and looking after the Masjid al-Haram the same as having belief in Allah and the Last Day and doing jihad in the Way of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah. Allah does not guide wrongdoing people.”

Allah says making an effort, in other words, doing jihad for Allah’s pleasure, is the best one can do. Allah considers it the most important duty. Allah says there can be no comparison.

Surat At-Tawba, 24

“Say: ‘If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or your tribe, or any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and doing jihad in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His command. Allah does not guide people who are deviators.”

“Say: ‘If your fathers or your sons or your brothers or your wives or your tribe”, in other words, marrying, having kids, having relations, etc. “...any wealth you have acquired, or any business you fear may slump, or any house which pleases you, are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and doing jihad in His Way”, what is His way? The way of the Qur'an. Allah says if they “are dearer to you” than spreading Islam “then wait until Allah brings about His command”. In other words, wait for an affliction that Allah will send to you. “Allah does not guide people who are deviators.”

Surat Al-‘Ankabut, 6

“Whoever does jihad does it entirely for himself. Allah is Rich Beyond Need of any being.”

Almighty Allah doesn’t need your jihad, your efforts. It is an obligation for you, but He doesn’t need it.

Surat Al-‘Ankabut, 69

“As for those who do jihad in Our Way, We will guide them to Our Paths. Truly Allah is with the good-doers.”

“As for those who do jihad in Our Way, We will guide them to Our Paths.” Allah says He will guide those people who communicate the message of Islam for Allah’s pleasure, those who spread Islam. Allah gives money, the means, the people, the books. You just try to do your best to do jihad, which is making an effort for Allah’s pleasure, to spread Islam. Allah is always with the doers of good. How do they do good? They devote their lives, their youth, their wealth, money, in short, everything they have to Allah and spread Islam. That’s the trait of a Muslim.

Surat At-Tawba, 41

“Go forth, whether lightly or heavily equipped, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, for the cause of Allah. That is better for you, if you only knew.”

Allah says with your wealth and yourselves. How do we get equipped now? With books, CDs, and documentary films. You should use them to go and spread Islam. That’s what it means to make an effort.

Surat An-Nahl, 110

“But to those who emigrated after they were persecuted and then did jihad and remained steadfast, to them your Lord is All-Compassionate, Most Merciful.”

So we understand that it is likely that Muslims will suffer, be tortured but still continue to do jihad, which is making an effort, striving. Even if he is tortured, he doesn’t give up on jihad and continues to communicate the message of Islam. Jihad means making an effort, striving to communicate the message of Islam. That’s the trait of Muslims.

Surat At-Tahrim, 9

“O Prophet! do jihad against the unbelievers and hypocrites and be harsh with them. Their refuge is Hell. What an evil destination.”

Be harsh with the hypocrites. You cannot be lax about it. Of course harsh doesn’t mean getting physical and beating someone up. It is a decisive, persistent, deterrent intellectual struggle. What could that be in our century? With books, CDs, documentary movies, anything. Allah draws attention to a very strong, decisive intellectual struggle. Ever-continuing and ever-strong.

Surat Al-Ma’ida, 67

“O Messenger! transmit what has been sent down to you from your Lord. If you do not do it you will not have transmitted His Message. Allah will protect you from people. Allah does not guide the people of the unbelievers.”

This verse is for Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). In this verse, Allah specifically addresses Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). But in other verses, Allah says “believing women and believing men”, He addresses all Muslims. But in this verse, there is an address only to Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

Surat An-Nisa, 165

“Messengers bringing good news and giving warning, so that people will have no argument against Allah after the coming of the Messengers. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.”

This is again about the duties of the Messengers. They are in charge of communicating the message of Allah. The orders specific to messengers are clear, and Allah gives specific orders to believers as well. Allah informs the believers of what is expected of them.

Surat At-Tawba, 67

“The men and women of the hypocrites are as bad as one another. They command what is wrong and forbid what is right and keep their fists tightly closed. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. The hypocrites are deviators.”

“The men and women of the hypocrites are as bad as one another. They command what is wrong and forbid what is right”, Their duty is quite the opposite. The hypocrites are in action too. What are they doing? They are commanding what is wrong. For example, they harass a person for performing prayers. They insult Muslims and promote evil actions. So the hypocrites are in charge of trying to change what is ordered in the Qur'an. And the believers do their duty perfectly and abide by the Qur'an. They explain what is in the Qur'an. Hypocrites are spreading their message too. Aren’t they doing it right now, through TV, radio and internet? They are. What are the believers doing? They spread the message of the Qur'an. The spread the Qur'an’s miracles, the signs leading to faith, the beautiful content of the Qur'an. They intellectually crush the idols and destroy Darwinism and Materialism. “…Keep their fists tightly closed. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. The hypocrites are deviators.”

Allah forgets about them. The hypocrites don’t like to talk about Allah.

Surat At-Tawba, 44-45-46

“Those who have belief in Allah and the Last Day do not ask you to excuse them from doing jihad with their wealth and themselves. Allah knows the people who have piety. Only those who do not have belief in Allah and the Last Day ask you to excuse them. Their hearts are full of doubt and in their doubt they waver to and fro. If they had really desired to go out, they would have made proper preparations for it, but Allah was averse to their setting out so He held them back and they were told: ‘Stay behind with those who stay behind.’ Those who have belief in Allah and the Last Day do not ask you to excuse them from doing jihad with their wealth and themselves.”

But what do the hypocrites do? They are looking for any opportunity to run. They are looking for excuses for not communicating the message of Islam with their wealth, their person, mind, their youth. They say, 'Well, Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was in charge of that.' They say ‘Let him do that, we don’t care’. Allah refers to the hypocrites in the verse. There can be no excuses. If he doesn’t want it, let him be straightforward with it. If he doesn’t believe, that’s his choice, (but he should not fake it). “If they had really desired to go out, they would have made proper preparations for it, but Allah was averse to their setting out so He held them back and they were told: ‘Stay behind with those who stay behind.’”

(Allah refers to) spreading Islam, to communicating the message of Islam, in other words doing jihad. War is something else; that is qital. But hypocrites never intend to do anything in the first place. They just want to sit back. They just want to marry, eat, drink and care about themselves alone.

Surat At-Tawba, 81

“Those who were left behind were glad to stay behind the Messenger of Allah. They did not want to do jihad with their wealth and themselves in the Way of Allah. They said, ‘Do not go out to fight in the heat.’ Say: ‘The Fire of Hell is much hotter, if they only understood.’”

And there are some people who claim that these verses refer to only the time of Prophet Mohammed. (It is wrong and) all the verses are valid until the judgment day.

Surat Al-Baqara, 62

“Those with belief, those who are Jews, and the Christians and Sabaeans, all who have belief in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.”

So when there are people among the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans, who believe in Allah, we cannot ask them, ‘Why did you believe in Allah?’. On the contrary, we’ll be happy to hear that. Why? Because according to the Qur'an, that’s what a wise Muslim would do. How can you ask a person why did you become a Muslim, or did prayer or fast? For example, some Christians fast and radicals ask ‘Why are you doing that?’. Or they go a mosque and radicals ask ‘Why did you go there?’ or they read the Qur'an and the radicals say ‘Why do you read the Qur'an?’ They (the radicals) should know that they are in violation of the Qur'an.

Surat Al-Ma’ida, 82

“You will find that the people most hostile to those who have belief are the Jews and the idolaters. You will find the people most affectionate to those who have belief are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.”

“You will find the people most affectionate to those who have belief are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’” Listen, Allah says, “Christians are the ones who are most affectionate to Muslims.” But some people refuse to accept this. This is the verse of Allah. If you don’t accept this verse, then you are simply not a Muslim. “That is because some of them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.” Allah praises them, Allah says priests and monks are not arrogant.

Surat Al-Ma’ida, 83

“When they listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they recognize of the truth. They say, ‘Our Lord, we have belief! So write us down among the witnesses.”

Allah says they will cry with joy. Some radicals don’t like to see that Christians are doing prayer. The radicals are completely wrong.

Surat Al-‘Ankabut, 46

“Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way – except in the case of those of them who do wrong – saying, ‘We have belief in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.’”

Allah orders this on all Muslims. Allah says to be in touch with the Christians, talk to them. Treat them nicely, do not be rude. Do not be offensive. So we will tell them that we believe in the same God. And we should invite them to the Oneness of Allah. That’s what the Masons say anyway. They say we believe in the same God. They say we believe that Islam is the true religion. We gave them the Qur'an and they put it in all the Masonic lodges. It is great that they defend the Qur'an, that they love the Qur'an.

Surat Al ‘Imran, 64

“Say, ‘People of the Book! Come to a proposition which is the same for us and you – that we should worship none but Allah

and not associate any partners with Him and not take one another as lords besides Allah.’ If they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.”

Allah explains us how we should communicate the message of Islam. Allah says to be in contact with them. It is not the so-called dialogue Allah is referring to, it is communicating the message of Islam. It is the amr-bil-maroof-wa-nahi-anil-munkar. Allah says be kind, loving and compassionate when you are doing that. Allah says you can marry Christian ladies and you will find that the Christians love you.

Surat An-Naml, 18

“Then, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant said, ‘Ants! enter your dwellings so that Solomon and his troops do not crush you unwittingly.’”

Prophet Solomon (pbuh) is the leader and he has armies, and he is the leader of the armies. So we understand that Muslims have to have a leader. The ants have a leader, one that leads them. So Muslims have to do that as well. Prophet Solomon (pbuh) is leading the armies, the ant is leading the ants; Allah draws attention to that. And Muslims will have a leader, too. Even the animals, and insects have leaders. And so do the Muslims. Allah points out to that.

Surat An-Naml, 23

“I found a woman ruling over them who has been given everything. She possesses a mighty throne.”

Hear that, a woman who rules, a female leader. So we can understand that women are fit for being leaders. Some radicals say, “Women cannot be leaders”. Allah shows in the Qur'an that women can perfectly be leaders. “I found a woman ruling over them”. And the society once again has a leader. They worship the Sun, but still, even they have a leader. Surely Muslims have got to have a leader, too. Allah shows us that every community has to have a leader.

Surat An-Naml, 32-33

“She said, ‘Council! give me your opinion about this matter. It is not my habit to make a final decision until I have heard what you have to say.’ They said, ‘We possess strength and we possess great force. But the matter is in your hands so consider what you command.”

Allah shows how the rulers should be like. They should consult, they should have advisers that they consult. They should have people under their command. But those people at the ruler’s service must leave the final decision to the ruler. The ruler has the right to decide. The Qur'an shows us what leadership should be like. Allah shows us that there has to be a leader.

Surat An-Naml, 34

“She said, ‘When kings enter a city, they lay waste to it and make its mightiest inhabitants the most abased. That is what they too will do.”

Be it in the past or now, when one side wins, they usually humiliate the rulers of the defeated side, insult them. The Qur'an refers to that fact.

Surat At-Tawba, 33

“It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the idolaters detest it.”

What is said in the verse? The global sovereignty, so strong that it cannot be denied. You know who are the idolaters? The radicals. They are idolaters because they say that the Qur'an is insufficient, and they add things to the rules of Allah. Allah says “...even though the idolaters detest it”. The Qur'an refers to such types of radicals who put their wicked desires into action. Allah says ‘...even though they don’t want it, I will make sure Islam reigns in the world’. What will happen then? Muslims have to have a leader then, right? How can it be that Islam will reign in the world but Muslims will not have a leader. Everyone has leaders; the Christians, the Masons, even the ants, but Muslims? Muslims do have a leader, too. And he is Hz. Mahdi (as), insha’Allah.

Surat Al-Qasas, 5-6

“We desired to show kindness to those who were oppressed in the land and to make them leaders and make them inheritors and establish them firmly in the land and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their troops the very thing that they were fearing from them.”

Allah says that I will make sure that the oppressed Muslims, the Muslims that suffer great plight, will reign in the world. Allah says I will make them reign and make them leaders. What does it mean to be a leader? The rules, the people in charge.

Surat Al-Anbiya, 106

“Certainly there is a transmission in this for people who worship.”

Allah says ‘If one is a sincere Muslim, then they can find the necessary message in the Qur'an’. Allah explains that He gave the secrets of global sovereignty, too.

Surat Al-A‘raf, 137

“And We bequeathed to the people who had been oppressed.”

Allah says that you will reign in the world. From East to West. Allah doesn’t put a limit on it. Allah says the East and the West of the holy places, Muslims will reign all around the world insha’Allah.

Surah Sâd, 26

“‘David! We have made you a khalif on the earth, so judge between people with truth.”

Khalif, in other words, the leader on earth. Prophet David (pbuh) was the strongest leader of the time. A political leader, a Muslim leader. Islam reigned the world back in the time, it was the strongest. There were groups of unbelievers too, but Prophet David (pbuh) was the most powerful. Prophet David (pbuh) and his government, his country. Prophet David (pbuh) was the leader, the leader of the Muslims.

Surat Al-A‘raf, 69

“Or are you astonished that a reminder should come to you from your Lord by way of a man among you in order to warn you? Remember when He appointed you successors to the people of Noah, and increased you greatly in stature. Remember Allah’s blessings, so that hopefully you will be successful.”

For example in the time of Prophet Noah (pbuh) the Muslims had a leader. Muslims were a single group, with no different religious communities. There was a single Muslim community and that included all the Muslims. Prophet Noah (pbuh) was their leader. Muslims weren’t without a leader. There was again one single group in the time of Prophet Abraham (pbuh), there were no different sects or groups. Same goes for Prophet Moses (pbuh)’ time. There were no different religious groups, or sects, etc. There was a single Muslim community. There was a single leader, and that was Prophet Moses (pbuh). All these things came up later, all this separation, division, and failures. When someone wants a leader, many come forward and say that Muslims cannot have a leader.